Five Average Cars for Average People Who Are Not Rich

At Stick Shift, we are often accused of dedicating all of our time and column inches to the adoration of outrageously expensive vehicles, and of not being able to differentiate a Kia from a Kick in the Pants. To which we would like to say, guilty as charged. Also, be honest: if you could, wouldn’t you? And finally, duh—this is Vanity Fair, not Pragmatic & Fair.

But just because we’re busy doing our job doesn’t mean we’re irrevocably out of touch with the middling mass of the vehicular marketplace. On occasion, something small, cheap, frumpy, démodé, or seemingly inconsequential will buzz across our proverbial windscreen and captivate our queered eye. Intrigued, we’ll delight the serfs at that manufacturer with a request for a test-drive. We are not always delighted in return, but occasionally we are.

With the average cost of a new car hovering just above $30,000, we herein present a handful of new vehicles we’ve driven recently that are priced below that moderate point and gave us moderate (or more) pleasure. (Prices listed are as test cars were optioned.)

Mazda 2

Never mind that it resembles a parasitic insect or that, small as it is, it could comfortably inhabit your nether regions. The diminutive 2 is a hoot to drive. Though its motor is only slightly more powerful than the one in your SodaStream, it more than makes up for its paltry potency with zippy handling, superior fuel economy (29/35), a remarkably roomy interior, and a menacingly jubilant visage. $17,805.